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El Trio Live in Italy

John Beasley

Label: Challenge Records
Released: 2023
Views: 330

Tracks

Preludio di Trio; 3 For Africa; En 4; Elegant People; Song for Dub; Sierra; Bass Solo Interlude; Timbeando; Camino De Mango; Arroz Con Mango.

Personnel

Additional Personnel / Information

John Beasley: keyboards and synthesizers.

Album Description

"El Trio: Live in Italy features the impressive lineup of Grammy Award-winning ((John Beasley}} (keyboards and synthesizers), {{José Gola}} (electric bass), and {{Horacio "El Negro" Hernandez}} (drums). Described as a "dream threesome" of renowned musicians, this album is a product of their summer tour in Italy in 2022. The album's essence is a journey of three friends allowing the music to guide them. All three artists have a rich history, having toured with the maestro of Afro-Cuban jazz, Chucho Valdés, who also penned the testimonial on the marketing one sheet.

The music is a feverish mix of Cuban grooves combined with a 1970s jazz-rock flavor, displaying the individual talents of these prestigious musicians. John Beasley's casts a vivacious and dynamic style reminiscent of Joe Zawinul.

They kick things off with “Preludio Di Trio” which is a short track, featuring Beasley’s swarming synth chords with warm overlays and the drummer’s swishing cymbals. Throughout, Hernadez is a one-man percussion ensemble, abetted by the bassist’s agile and fluent lines. The band generates a flamboyant and at times, grandiose persona, awash with alternating Afro-Cuban grooves, and melodic solos that circumnavigate the primary themes.

On “En 4” Beasley uses a flute-based synth setting atop a spicy Latin pulse, countered by Gola’s sinewy passages. And they dish out a vibrant and succinct take on {{Wayne Shorter}}’s “Elegant People,” derived from his time with Weather Report. In other spots, they beef up ballads with uptempo breakouts. However, Gola takes center stage during “Bass Solo Interlude,” distinguished by his lyrical notes, deft picking, and application of chord-based harmonics. This track leads into “Timbeando,” which is an intense jam, highlighted by Beasley’s rapid-fire synth patterns and an expanding undercurrent leading to bop and a few Miles Davis quotes.

This album encapsulates the cultural fusion that characterizes El Trio's music, emphasizing the unifying power of their work while leaving listeners with a feeling of connection and anticipation for future encounters.